[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5231]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING SPC. RYAN C. GARBS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2007

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of 
Army Specialist Ryan C. Garbs who was recently killed in action in 
Afghanistan while conducting operations in support of Operation 
Enduring Freedom.
  Spc. Garbs was a 20-year-old native of Edwardsville, Illinois who was 
assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment out of Fort 
Benning, Gerogia. He was a 2005 graduate from Edwardsville High School, 
Edwardsville, Illinois. Around his sophomore year, Garbs knew he wanted 
to be an Army Ranger and he spent the last 2 years at Edwardsville High 
School rigorously training to meet the requirements of becoming a 
Ranger.
  Garbs is survived by his parents, Doug and Jill Garbs of 
Edwardsville, Illinois and his sister; Melanie Neely of Fairfield, 
California. I am proud of the service this young man gave to our 
country and the service his fellow troops perform every day. Not enough 
can be said about Spc. Garbs. His awards and decorations speak to what 
a great soldier and man he was; the Army Service Ribbon, Combat 
Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge and Good Conduct Badge, just to name 
a few. Like all Rangers, Garbs lived by the Ranger Creed. As the Creed 
states: ``Never shall I fail my comrades, I will always keep myself 
mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will 
shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one 
hundred percent and then some.'' It is troops like Garbs that are 
risking their lives day in and day out to ensure our freedom here at 
home and to others throughout the rest of the world. He shouldered as 
much as anyone could, and I salute him. My best wishes go out to his 
family and all the troops fighting to ensure freedom and democracy. May 
God bless him and may God continue to bless America.

                          ____________________